Phuon Chea

VPA-KT0036

Phuon Chea

Female

50

Khmer

Khmer

Prasat village, Chamna Leu commune, Stung district, Kampong Thom province

19690101

Farmer

Kabthlok village, Damreislap commune, Kampong Svay district, Kampong Thom province

1976

Khloy village, Chamna Leu commune, Stung district, Kampong Thom

Killing

At one point, a commune security police named Tho came to arrest all of Kay’s family, accusing them of being part of the Yuon network and having Yuon blood. The family was brought to a high school center in Prasat village, Chamna Lae commune, Stung district. Everyone was killed except for Kay’s son Sin, who worked at the site collecting cow dung. At this time, Kay’s son was probably thirteen years old. Tho, however, still came to arrest him. Kay’s son begged Tho not to kill him because the rest of his family had been killed already. “And leave me,� he said. Tho told him, “I will harm you and just eat the rice.� Then Tho took him to Kloy village, Chamna Lae commune, Stung district, Kampong province and killed him there. This incident probably took place in 1976.

A security police chief, Tho, accused Kan of committing moral offenses with new people. Tho, the security police chief, tied Kan up, walked him to the pit, ordered him to dig his own pit, and then killed him with a bamboo stick. During an evening meeting, Tho said that everyone who committed moral offenses would be taken to be killed at Prasat village, Chamna Lae commune, Stung district, Kampong Thom province. This event took place around 1976.

Family separation

In late 1975, a chief of Lveay commune separated our family. My father, Mean Phaun, was assigned to climb sugar trees in Prasat village, Chamna Lae commune, Stung district, Kampong Thom province. My mother, In Rin, was put to work in both a fishing area and an economic section (husking rice) in Khmakk village, Chamna Lae commune, Stung district. My sibling named Sam was sent to collect cow dung, whereas I worked in a special unit, carrying soil at a site.

They initially ordered me to carry soil at Baeng Santung site, located in Stung district, but I cannot recall the name of the village and commune. When the commune chief came to separate our family, we were living in Prasat village, Chamna Lae commune, Stung district. I do not know why they separated my family.

Forced labor

My father, Phuon, died in early 77 when a village chief named Nouy forced him to destroy a spirit warehouse in Prasat pagoda, located in Prasat village, Chamna Lae commune, Stung district, Kampong Thom province. Nouy told my father to break the stone warehouse in order to build dams and bridges. Five days after pulling down the spirit warehouse, my father fell ill for three days and died.

At this time, my mother snuck away to ask a fortuneteller about his death and the fortuneteller said that the spirit had cursed him. The fortuneteller said that the spirit did not take bribes, but people. No one was aware that my mother had gone to find the fortuneteller. At this time, my mother went to ask my uncle Phim to tell her what had happened to my father; Phim possessed knowledge about these things.

In 1976, I was building a Trapeang Veng and Banchhaechy dam. The person who ordered me to perform this task was Nouy and the person who supervised me was Yet. While carrying soil, I grew ill, but Yet, accusing me of malingering, did not allow me take the day off. The rations there consisted of watery rice soup mixed with banana tree. When I fell ill and could not carry earth, Yet starved me, saying that he kept rations for those who could work.

Complainant

No;

Road

No;

20080326

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